Some physicochemical properties, fatty acid composition and conjugated linoleic acid content of ripened kaşar cheeses

In this study, some physicochemical properties, fatty acid composition and conjugated linoleic acid (cis-9, trans-11 and trans-10, cis-12 isomers) contents of commercial ripened Kaşar cheese samples (n=20), which are produced using different milk types and marketed at different maturation levels, were investigated. It was determined that the dry matter fat, fat in dry matter, protein, protein in dry matter, salt and salt in dry matter contents of ripened Kaşar cheeses were between 57.73-64.95%, 25.63-35.00%, 43.12-57.38%, 21.79-26.08%, 36.45-42.10%, 2.89-4.79% and 4.68-7.83%, respectively. The pH, titration acidity (% lactic acid) and hardness (N) values of Kaşar cheese samples were found to be between 4.98-5.66%, 0.89-1.47% and 15.05-34.55%, respectively. It has been observed that the fat values of 4 of the cheese samples are higher than our study findings and the fat contents of the cheeses in question do not comply with the values specified in the Turkish Food Codex Cheese Communiqué. The cross-section and outer surface L* values of cheese samples were 63.63-82.86 and 67.43-84.07, a* values were -2.32 and -5.41, -2.20 and -5.17 and b * values were determined to vary between 17.37-30.94 and 17.12 and 27.89, respectively. The study findings showed that the fatty acid compositions of all cheeses were similar. The most proportionally abundant long chain fatty acids in all cheese samples were palmitic, oleic, myristic, stearic, lauric, linoleic and palmitoleic acids. Palmitic, myristic and stearic acids were determined as the most abundant saturated fatty acids in cheeses. It was determined that the most abundant fatty acid and unsaturated fatty acid in cheeses were palmitic acid and oleic acid, respectively. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) contents of the cheeses were determined between 2.00-5.50 mg/g fat and average 3.73 mg/g fat. The results of the study showed that there is a significant variability in CLA contents of ripened commercial Kaşar cheeses produced in Turkey.